So! I started this crazy project a few days ago. The plan is to elevate myself from a hobbyist dabbler to a proper house producer in just 3,5 months, with the ultimate goal of having my favorite musician and DJ (Kerri Chandler) play my track when he has a gig here in July. Very close to impossible, given the deadline and the initial level of my productions. However! I have lots of time at my disposal as I’m currently unemployed and I’ve decided to tackle the beast now or never, before I’m too old for this shit.
hey barfunkel! crazy project indeed, and totally relatable, i like the clear goal (kerrikerri dj me!) and the timeframe.
sadly i don’t know shit about house music and can’t really enjoy the genre, more of a noise/experimental guy here. so i sent „Sense-ual House“ to two djs that are waaaay more into house than me, let’s see what they have to say about it. the track sounds quite solid to me and has a good vibe.
i listened to „The Dead End“ a few times and just took some notes and maaaaybe there’s something in it for you:
The Dead End
bassline is fun
fluty-birdy synth melody —> connect it with cowbell (cowbell higher pitch tuning, eq?) <— sound great together!
2:02 - bright organ-like delay synth stuff comes in, how does ist connect to fluty-bird synth? <— delay on fluty-bird synth there, too?
2:17 warm organ like synth chords come in…something has to go/change, maybe fluty-bird?
like the tambouriny sound, but it’s a bit…rhythmically stumbling?
3:03 break…(is it called a „break“?) what elements lead to the break? maybe the tambourine/shaker taking off? some elements getting…airier?
3:34 maybe that hi-hat/shaker sound comes in a bit to loud/harsh (does it bring some low frequencies with it? maybe eq them out…maybe soften with a touch of reverb?)
4:04 what elements lead out of the break? maybe introduce bassline variation? <— in timbre? in melody?
what need does a break fulfill when there’s no change after it? (<— is this a Tarekith quote???)
Thanks for the input! The Dead End was quite literally that, a failed experiment. I don’t want to waste any more time on that track, as time is of the essence. I just learned a lesson or two from it and moved on.
Still unfinished though, the arrangement especially needs work, as it’s too loopy. I’m adding all kinds of little fills and licks to it as we speak, will post the finished version when it’s ready.
Thanks mate! I’m really trying to consciously improve, something which I’ve never tried to do really. In the past, I’ve been just surfing the waves so to speak, with no real aim or goal to it. Shits’s gotta change!
Here’s the latest update to the blog. No production talk this time though, it’s about non-house music that has inspired me over the years.
Great blog, Barfunkel. Really something i missed in the past.
I must admit I can relate too much. Maybe it’s because I turn 39 this year myself.
Nevertheless I wish you can transfer all the acquired knowledge and techniques to OTB production. If so I’ll definitely will buy tickets to your upcoming live shows.
Thumbs up!!!
I will move back OTB at some point, but I wanna do it properly and not just have a few toys to play with, no matter how fun playing with those toys would be. Which means that I have to spend a serious amount of cash. Something like in the ballpark of 20k€. Plus, I need to be able to have a real studio space with acoustic treatment and not just the corner of a living room. Sans winning the lottery this will take me quite a while!
